Mission/Complication
. . . v1 Insufficient Data The employer did not give all the information needed to complete the mission. Something has been left out, such as the presence of bystanders, a room in the layout of the building, that the target has a friend or loved one present, or even that there is a second mission going on at the same time in the same place. Whatever it is it is an omission, not a lie. • Special Rules: The employer made a mistake, after the mission is over the ronin might be able to negotiate a bonus to cover the changed situation, and if they do so, they get a +2 circumstance bonus to any skill checks to renegotiate. • Considerations: Decide before the mission starts what the missing data is. It is entirely possible that eh PCs might discover this while doing their recon of the mission, and bring it up to the employer before it is too late, possibly prompting a renegotiation of the agreement. • CR: The encounter that involves the missing data should have its CR be increased by +1. v1 Lies and more Lies The employer is not being up front and honest with the party. The target of a rescue might actually be the target of a snatch, a party sent to threaten someone is in fact being set up to take a fall, or the easy protection job is actually a transport one that only becomes obvious once the ronin are in the field. It could be more than the parameters of the mission, the employer might be lying about who they are or what their motivations are, this is especially fun if the employer is family or friends. • Special Rules: The party has leverage for renegotiating the agreement later, granting them a +2 circumstance bonus to negotiating pay. • Considerations: This complication should be used sparingly, and should definitely be used with caution if the employer is a regular NPC the party works for, such as a fixer. • CR: None, but may be increased depending on the nature of the lie. v1 More Opposition The opposition is stronger than the employer thought it would be, said it would be, or the team thought it would be. This complication is one that springs up at the last minute. It could be the result of the opposition's plans, or it could just be circumstance. Maybe a second security team is out of position and wandered into the mission area. Shift change happened at an unusual time due to Carlos in HR's birthday. • Special Rules: Most employers won't pay more because something bad happened during the mission, but a few might be more amiable and offer a small bonus (no more than 5% base pay) to smooth over any ruffled feathers. • Considerations: The GM should keep in mind that having more foes show up without and explanation can feel very adversarial for the players. If the PCs have the place locked down tight and all contingencies covered go with a different complication. • CR: CR +1 due to the sudden addition of more foes. v1 Pay Off Someone on the opposition's side knows that PCs have been hired to do the job, and wants to head off any unpleasantness. Towards that end they make the ronin an offer to abandoned or throw the mission. This offer should be legitimate, but sometimes it is just a smokescreen to distract or gain intelligence on the party. • Special Rules: The offer is 25% of the base pay the party is expecting. • Considerations: This means burning the employer, and that is never a good thing for a freelancer. • CR: none v1 Rival Team The opposition is not just a bunch of corp security or run of the mill hired guns, it is a full on ready to rock 'n' roll ronin team. This sort of opposition is more dangerous, but may be manipulated into certain professional courtesies. Everyone here is out to make money, not die for a cause, which can make things go that much smoother. • Special Rules: None. • Considerations: The GM should use class and personality grafts to craft the rival team. If a PC is has a rival from their street cred or another source, use them from time to time. • CR: CR +1 due to the increases power level and competence of the opposition. v1 Witnesses Someone saw something during the mission, and like any good patriot, when they saw something they said something. Unless they went to great lengths to hide their identities, the opposition may be informed as to who the ronin are. This won't affect the mission while it is in play, but shows up later, sometimes much later. • Special Rules: none • Considerations: Depending on the street cred options the PCs are using it may be very easy to track them back to their regular lives. • CR: none v0 Enclave This is a universal complication that can apply anywhere you go, anything you do. People tend to band together with like-minded individuals, such as in this zone. The residents are all from the same ethnic, religious, or other cultural group. They have formed a tight knit community that looks out for its own, and it is easy to determine if someone belongs here. This affords them protection against the majority culture and allows them to openly express their beliefs. For a member of this group the community zone is an oasis in an often uncaring and frequently hostile world. While this might seem like a fine place to visit, the locals are not museum exhibit. They do not like outsiders, sometimes as a response to generations of victimization but equally a means to maintain internal solidarity by focusing anger outwards. The leaders here can be as parasitic and power hungry as any corporate climber, and loyalty to the group tends to be emphasized over personal interests of the individual residents. • Security: Blue or Yellow • Skills: All Charisma based skills take a -2 penalty for those not native to the zone or the group that resides here. For members of the in group, Diplomacy and Bluff gain a +2 bonus. • Goods: Most goods can be purchased here, but outsiders are not welcome. Those not native to the area can expect prices to silently increase by 10%. • Encounters: Most NPCs will be locals, and as such not welcoming to outsiders. The starting attitude of all NPCs is one step worse towards outsiders and one step better to those in the shared group. • Risks: A roll of 1 on any Charisma based skill check results in drawing the attention of the local leaders. Depending on the nature of the enclave's cultural group this might result in a polite invitation to leave or an encounter with armed thugs. v2 Celebration It is a happy day! At least it should be. A parade is occurring, likely either a dying holdover from happier times that carries on by tradition or a government sponsored rally to promote patriotism, obedience, or remind the people of who is in charge. In either case the streets have people and vehicles moving down them at a stately pace, the sidewalks are lined with bystanders, and the air is filled with sound. Everybody loves a parade, especially when you are ordered to. Now cheer the glorious leader, cheer you peons, cheer! • Security: Blue or Yellow • Skills: Stealth and Sleight of Hand checks in this zone gain a +2 bonus due to the crowd and the focus on the parade. Cultures checks involving the subject of the parade gain a +2 bonus. Perception checks suffer a -2 penalty due to the distraction of the parade and the crowd. • Goods: Shops are closed for the parade, but open up right after, sometimes with sales to celebrate the day, granting -10% to costs. • Encounters: NPCs will be distracted but in a good mood or at least feigning such increases the attitude of all NPCs by one step. • Risks: A roll of 1 on Perception or Culture checks made during the parade results in a pickpocket taking some small item and disappearing into the crowd. v2 Drone riot Something has caused the zone's virtual companions to go haywire. They may have been hacked; it could be a coding bug, or possibly some sort of AI event. Whatever the cause, people's virtual companions are running riot in the streets. This creates all manner of distractions, but also presents an interesting sight. Dragons swoop overhead, anime characters cavort down the street, monsters battle it out in virtual combat, and hyper objects are manipulated in strange ways. • Security: Green, blue, or yellow • Skills: All skill checks are at -2 due to the constant distraction. The only way to avoid this is to turn off one's TAP. • Goods: Goods on still on sale, though many shops are double-checking identities which can make transactions take longer or reveal someone who is using a fake identification. • Encounters: Some virtual companions are so well defined that it is difficult to tell living beings from AI powered hyper objects (a DC 18 Perception or Sense Motive check reveals their true nature). This can lead to the party being caught up in a virtual companion's story, often a well-scripted story that the owner uses as entertainment. In addition to eh virtual companions, there are their owners out looking for their hyper object friends to bring them safely home or shut them down. • Risks: A roll of 1 on any skill check results in a swarm of virtual companions flocking to the character. These will try to interact with the character according to their scripts, which creates a distraction that levies a -4 penalty on all skill checks, saving throws, and attack rolls. The swarmed character has concealment from all attackers currently viewing hyper objects. v2 Gridlock Hackers have broken into the traffic control network as well as the municipal signage in this area. Vehicular and pedestrians traffic is being directed into random and at times dangerous routes, intersections are a maze of screaming drivers and honking horns. The automated vehicle control system is entirely broken down and cars are being routed into circles or onto to collision courses. Adding to the mayhem, the municipal signage display false messages, wrong directions, or just laughing emojis. • Security: Green, blue, or yellow • Skills: Charisma based skills suffer a -4 penalty in this zone as everyone is frustrated and angry. Stealth checks gain a +2 bonus due to the confusion and chaos. Computers checks to hack into the municipal signage or traffic control systems have their DCs increased by +5, and the hackers may have left behind some nasty surprises. • Goods: While normal goods are still for sale, some shopkeepers will be closing early to avoid the confusion and havoc. • Encounters: The starting attitude of NPCs in this zone is one step worse, no one likes being stick in traffic. The hackers might be around to watch their fruit of their handiwork or may have long gone. Sometimes this sort of hacking is done to provide cover for a crime of some kind, and the party might find itself caught up in a gunfight or chase. • Risks: A roll of 1 on a Pilot check will result in the vehicle being caught in a collision. The other vehicle is likely a passenger car, but it could be a larger vehicle if the GM is feeling particularly vengeful. v2 Hackwar The Global Network in this area is currently under attack. This is not the malware that infests corrupted zones; this is a dedicated and strategic assault with a clear goal. Often this takes the form of attempts to hack into servers and other data caches and scoop out the juicy data inside. While the attack has a definite goal, diversionary tactics involve assaults on other non-target data caches, including those of the average citizen. During a digital assault no one is safe. The reply to these assaults is just as frustrating as code flies back and forth and hackers spars hacker in an ethereal realm of '1's and '0's. There is another type of digital assault, namely that perpetrated by pranksters. Hyper objects are altered to fit a theme, such as turning all interfaces into a fantasy world or overlaying an image over hyper reality. Sometimes it is as simple as planting a bit of code that makes odd sounds emit at random. While annoying, these pranks can have deadly consequences as they add to the confusion of live and inhibit legitimate uses of connected technology. • Security: Blue, Green, Yellow, rarely Orange • Skills: Computers skill checks are made at a -2 penalty due to the interference from hackers. Due to the overlay on hyper reality Survival checks must be made every hour to avoid getting lost. • Goods: Stores here are generally unable to make any sales except for cash, and even then, they are hesitant to do so. Many stores disconnect their systems as soon as the assault is known in order to prevent their data from being stolen. • Encounters: The starting attitude for NPCs in the area is one step worse due to the annoyance and fear. • Risks: Any roll of 1 on a Computers check draws the attention of the digital warriors duking it out in the Global Network. This can result in their attacks targeting the character, and if the offender's location is known police or governmental intelligence agents might be dispatched. v2 Holospam Holospam, it is the bane of modern existence, but this zone has it worse than most. Hyper objects pop up everywhere; a cartoon rodent keeps walking in front of people and asking them if they have tried Crunchy Chicken Pops. Cows branded with synthetic beef manufacturer's logos wander the streets. One almost has to turn off their TAP to get any relief. • Security: Green, blue, or yellow • Skills: All skill checks are at -4 due to the constant distraction. Targets of attacks have concealment due to the swarm of hyper objects around them. The only way to avoid this is to turn off one's TAP. • Goods: Everything is on sale 50% off! This one easy trick will clear your Tap of viruses! Have you tried Doctor Bonlo's cybercream? This game is so addictive corporations are banning it! This Saturday Only Civic Auditorium Cyber Mixed Martial Arts Face Off! Enhance your action with Hyper-Squaddie nanite treatments! Only 199 credits! Hurry Supplies won't last long! Regular legitimate business is nearly impossible. • Encounters: All NPCs in this zone have their starting attitudes reduced two levels. The proliferation of hyper objects makes it difficult to perceive mundane reality, the party might encounter an obstacle, ally, or foe and not know it until too late, or maybe not even at all. • Risks: A roll of 1 on any check draws the attention of hundreds of hyper objects. These flock to the character, revealing their position (but giving them full concealment from anyone viewing hyper objects). This crowd will not disburse for 1d10+2 minutes. v2 Malware This area has become infested with malware, causing all hyper objects to become buggy and unreliable, and all digital connections a potential infection risk. This zone effect typically effects the risks involved in making computers checks in the area. • Security: Yellow, Orange, and rarely, Red • Skills: Computers skill checks are made at a −2 penalty due to the unreliable nature of all digital technology. Due to the undependable Hyper objects, navigation can be particularly difficult. If a character isn't familiar with this area, the guiding character must make a Survival check each hour for Orienteering to keep from getting lost. • Goods: All TAP connected goods found in this area have a 50% chance to be infected with the Corrupter Worm. Analog Goods are much more common in this area, and the only goods sold. • Encounters: The starting attitude of all NPC's in the area are one step worse towards any character who use weapons or equipment which are not analog. • Risks: Any failed Computers skill check results in risk of infection from the Corrupter Worm program, which you must immediately roll a Neural save against. The particular item level of the Corrupter Worm is always equal to your level. A roll of 1 on a Computers skill check roll by a character in the area results in immediate infection of that character with the Corrupter Worm program, and all characters who share a network connection with that character must immediately make a Neural save against the Corrupter Worm or become infected as well. • Special: This zone can be modified for any other virus type malware program, in place of the Corrupter Worm, though it is the most common regional infection. v3 Civil Unrest This area has become a hotbed of political resistance, making social interactions tense, and the locals sensitive to careless speech. Peaceful protest is possible, but Violence on both sides can flare up at any time if someone makes a wrong move. • Security: Blue, Yellow, Orange, and rarely, Red • Skills: Due to the political nature of the zone, many NPC's will attempt to determine what side you're on, or pressure you to choose a side handing out pamphlets or attempting to question you. Because of this, all Charisma based Skill checks made before you have clearly chosen a side are made with a -2 penalty. Because of the crowds, signs, and noise all perception checks in the area take a -2 penalty, and all Stealth checks gain a +2 bonus. • Encounters: The starting attitude of all NPC's in the area is also one step worse toward any character perceived to not to be on their side of the civil unrest, and one step better toward any character perceived to be on their side. • Risks: A roll of 1 on a Charisma based skill check in the area causes the character(s) surrounded by aggressive protestors, and possibly by police resistance. Each round they remain in the zone, the character who rolled the 1 rolls a D20. A roll of 1 results in a violent riot, which the character(s) may be caught in. A roll of 20 results in the protests being peacefully dispersed. v3 Crackdown The police have been called in and have arrived in force. It is not quite open warfare, but it is pretty close. Officers are stationed at every street corner, APCs armed with crowd control weapons are deployed on major roads, and command centers complete with pre-fabricated detention pens have been erected. Usually the police come in on one edge of the area, establish a fortified beachhead, and start sweeping building to building. They are not just in the streets; they are entering buildings and pulling people out. Anyone seen in the area is likely to be stopped, disarmed, and interrogated. The unlucky are sent to a detention pen for further processing. • Security: Any • Skills: Stealth and Sleight of Hand checks are made with a -2 penalty due to the number of police and surveillance drones. All Charisma based skill checks are at -4 due to the unwillingness of the locals to talk to anyone, and the outright hostility of the police. • Goods: This is not a place to be shopping. • Encounters: Residents are running in fear for their lives and unlikely to interact with anyone not able to help them escape. The police automatically have a hostile attitude to any but their comrades. • Risks: A roll of 1 on a Charisma based skill, Stealth, or Sleight of Hand checks results in drawing police attention, arrest, detention, and possible prosecution. v3 Martial Law This area is under martial law for some reason or another. Inevitably, heightened security means curtailed freedoms, which can prove inconvenient at the very least. This graft can apply to a very large region — like an entire nation — all the way down to a single building held by military forces (although the impact of the graft also diminishes accordingly). Martial Law creates several effects, which largely boil down to the idea that there’s always a cop around, even if you don’t need one. Regular patrol sweeps are carried out by soldiers and observation drones, and they are always on the lookout for any sign of trouble. • Security: Yellow, Orange, Red, and rarely Black • Skills: Charisma based skill checks to find some sort of Law Enforcement are made with a +2 bonus. Stealth checks for any sort of apparent criminal activity (like sneaking around after curfew or trying to quietly break into a building) are made with a −2 penalty. • Goods: Weapons are particularly difficult to obtain in this area, and cost +20% more. • Encounters: The starting attitude of all Law Enforcement NPC's in the area are one step worse towards any character who has a documented criminal history. The starting attitude of all NPC's in the area are one step better towards any character who is perceived to represent ‘the Law’ (in whatever form), and two steps better when they are dealing with law enforcement. • Risks: A roll of 1 on any Charisma based skill check results in the character(s) being stopped, asked for ID and perhaps even detained if the circumstances warrant it. v3 Protest The streets here are filled with people protesting some offense. Protests are usually no longer permitted by the governments of the world but are allowed to carry on as a means of releasing pent up tensions, a means of identifying leaders of opposition groups, or a bit of street theatre when the cops come in and start a crackdown. At times local government might be so apathetic they allow a protest to carry on. Then again, maybe the leaders here the voice of the people and are motivated to action. Protesters tend to focus on what they are doing, and bystanders tend to watch the protest. Expect crowds, noise, and signage being carried along. Merging with the protest can be a fine way to lose a tail or move unnoticed. • Security: Yellow or Orange • Skills: Charisma based skill checks with protesters suffer a -2 penalty unless they directly involve the cause being voiced. Stealth and Sleight of Hand checks are made with a +2 bonus due to the crowds and distractions. Likewise, Culture checks that have to do with the topic of the protest are gain a +2 bonus. • Goods: Smart storeowners close up during a protest, if things go badly it is better to already have your security active when the riot starts. • Encounters: The starting attitude of any NPCs that are part of the protest are one step worse towards anyone not part of their cause, and one step better towards fellow travelers. • Risks: A roll of 1 on a Charisma based skill check sparks a conflict that leads to a riot, transforming this zone into a Riot Zone. v3 Restriction This zone is under stricter controls than martial law. Tensions are high, and the local law enforcement is on heightened alert for any trouble. Stop and frisks are common, those entering who are not familiar to the local beat cops or who look like possible threats will have their papers checks and their purposes questioned. Regular random sweeps by heavily armed law enforcement officers round up any on the streets and bring them in for processing, questioning, and some light civil rights violating. A strict curfew is in place and anyone on the streets after dark is likely to get arrested. Enforcement zones are usually enacted to avert the risk of riots or other civil unrest. Sometimes an enforcement zone is imposed on a disliked minority group by the powerful majority dominated government. Rarely these zones occur in response to some recent event such as a terrorist attack or major criminal activity. Truly despicable governments routinely place a neighborhood under an increased enforcement in order to intimidate the residents. • Security: Yellow, Orange, or Red • Skills: Bluff and Diplomacy used with the local residents take a -2 penalty. Intimidation likewise takes a -2 penalty unless the character convincingly appears as a police officer, and which case Intimidation gains a +2 bonus. Stealth checks are at -4 due to the presence of police officers and surveillance drones. Likewise, Sense Motive checks are at -2 as people in this zone are well aware that informants are everywhere and live guarded lives. • Goods: The shops here are suffering from the curfew and lack of business, causing many to close until the situation resolves. All goods have increased by +25% in price, and weapons cannot be legally purchased. • Encounters: All NPCs in this area see their starting attitude one step worse. Hostile NPCS will not resort to violence unless they are law enforcement. Most encounters in this zone will be with law enforcement personnel. The residents move rapidly from home to work or other destinations. Any gatherings of more than two or three people will attract official attention. • Risks: A roll of 1 on any Charisma based skill with law enforcement or with Stealth will result in the character being arrested. • Special: The smallest thing might ignite the powder keg that the crackdown is attempting to prevent. If the player characters start trouble, even something as minor as an argument, apply the Riot Zone graft. v3 Riot People yell, windows crack, and stones are thrown. This zone is undergoing a large civil disturbance, not just merely unrest but outright violence. The causes can be many, the world of 2090 if rife with inequalities and oppression. The people of this zone have taken to the streets to vent their anger and frustration. Strangers are unwelcome and possibly targets unless they can prove they are there as allies and reinforcements. The police are surely on their way and a crackdown will certainly occur in the near future. • Security: Yellow, Orange, or Red • Skills: Charisma based skill checks suffer a -4 penalty due to the open street violence. • Goods: Smart shops closed before the situation turned ugly, and those that are open risk being looted. • Encounters: Rioters are the most common encounters in this area and should be assumed to have a hostile attitude. This is not open warfare, expect improvised weapons, knives, handguns and the like, though some might be bringing out the heavy ordinance they have been saving for just such a need. • Risks: Any roll of 1 on a Charisma based skill check or Stealth signifies the arrival of the police and an increase in violence as the crackdown begins. v4 Blockaded For some reason or another, this area is restricted, and anyone without proper authorization is not allowed in (or is only allowed in a very limited area). While this graft could be applied to any location, larger areas — like nations or cites — are less likely to have it than smaller areas; neighborhoods or buildings could be top secret installations, or they could simply be secure facilities (like a nuclear power plant). Interdicted Zone is more likely to be an obstacle or have legal repercussions for the characters. • Security: Yellow, Orange, Red and rarely Black • Skills: Stealth checks in this area take a -2 penalty due to the extreme surveillance. Characters traveling through this area must make periodic Stealth checks to avoid being noticed (every minute if in a building; every hour if in a neighborhood; every day if in a city; every week if in a nation). Unless there is a reason for the interdicting force to be suspicious, players may take 20 on this check, although a failure results in all future Stealth rolls being rolled as normal. • Encounters: Characters who fail a Stealth check find themselves confronted by a group dispatched by the interdicting force. The group will be of whatever size is deemed sufficient to deal with the character(s) and will act according to the disposition of the interdicting force: either attempting to remove intruders from the premises or attempting to kill them. This is typically a level appropriate encounter. Subsequent encounters from failed Stealth checks increase in CR by 1 for each 1 encounter triggered, as the GM sees fit. • Risks: A roll of 1 on a Stealth check results in the characters stumbling into some sort of automated defenses. This could be as simple as a minefield, or as complex as pop-up infrared laser turrets. In any case, it still counts as a failure, with the effects detailed above. v4 Brownout This area has problems with its power grid, making anything requiring electricity a bit unreliable. This graft can apply to almost any type of location — a nation might be a Third World country; a neighborhood may have bad transformers; a building could just have old wiring… or maybe no one paid the power bill. Brown Outs can have diverse effects, although they are largely environmental. • Security: Any • Skills: The unstable power affects communications and computers. Computers checks are all made at a −4 penalty unless the character is directly accessing a terminal, in which case the penalty is −2. • Goods: Because they are a premium resource, batteries bought here cost 50% more, and use of recharging stations costs as twice as much. Use of a recharging station for more than an hour costs an additional 50 credits per hour, and in the case of an Android recharging overnight, the cost is 100 credits per hour to compensate for the loss of use of the station. • Encounters: The starting attitude of all NPC's in the area are one step worse towards any character who is an Android, wearing power armor, or who is otherwise perceived as being a 'power sink' and wasting precious resources. • Risks: A roll of 1 on a Computers or Engineering skill check for any skill involving gear that has to be connected to a power source results in a total loss of power until power can be restored. The area effected is one size smaller than the area normally suffering from Brown outs, so a country would lose power to a city, a city would lose power to a neighborhood, a neighborhood would lose power to a building, and a building would lose power to a room. This can take from 1d4 to 1d10 hours, depending on the size of the area affected. During this time, no gear can be used if it has to be connected to a power source (unless there is an available backup source), and penalties should be applied for darkness when indoors or outside at night. Any character who is Hacking when the power goes out is forcibly ejected back to reality, taking 2d6 non-lethal stamina damage from the sudden neural feedback due to loss of connection. v4 Disaster Something bad is happening here. It might be a wildfire, building collapse, or toxic leak. The area is hazardous and if of high enough security level, emergency response is either en route or already on site. Outsiders are turned away at the edges of the zone, looters are likely out in force, and the police take a dim view on anyone disrupting the work of the emergency response teams. • Security: Any • Skills: Survival checks to avoid environmental danger are at -2 here. Charisma based skill checks suffer a -4 penalty due to people's larger concerns. Perception checks suffer a -2 penalty due to the many distractions. • Goods: This is neither the time nor place to do some shopping. • Encounters: With people fleeing for their lives, the police trying to keep looters at bay, and emergency services responding to the wounded and trapped, the starting attitude of all NPCs in this zone are one step worse. • Risks: The greatest risk in this area is being caught up in the disaster. Depending on the nature of the disaster anyone in the area not wearing protective gear suffers 1d6 damage per level as they are injured by the disaster. They may make a Fortitude or Reflex save against a save DC equal to 13 + the area CR to take half damage. v4 Famine This area has a severe food shortage, which has resulted in hostility and desperation among the populace. • Security: Blue, Yellow and Orange • Skills: Charisma based checks gain a +4 bonus if you supplement the check with a serving of food. Word travels fast, however, and subsequent Charisma checks made in the area without sharing food are made at a -2 penalty. • Goods: Food is scarce in the area and sold and valued at 10x the normal cost. • Encounters: The starving populace has become increasingly desperate. • Risks: A roll of 1 on a Charisma based skill check in the area causes the character(s) surrounded by a mob of the starving populace all demanding food, and possibly even taking food by force, depending on the circumstances. Each round they remain in the zone, the character who rolled the 1 rolls a D20. A roll of 1 results in a violent riot, which the character(s) may be caught in. A roll of a 20 results in the mob being peacefully dispersed by intervening authorities, which may result in the character(s) being stopped, asked for ID and perhaps even detained if the circumstances warrant it. v4 Pollution This area is particularly polluted, and unhealthy for those who live or travel in the area. • Security: Any • Skills: Medicine checks in the area take a -2 penalty due to the extremely unsanitary conditions. Characters traveling unprotected through this area must make periodic Survival checks to avoid being sickened by the pollution (every minute if in a building; every hour if in a neighborhood; every day if in a city; every week if in a nation). If a character fails a survival check, they must make a Fortitude save against Filth Fever. Because of the filth, pollution and refuse in the area, all Perception checks take a -1 penalty and Stealth checks gain a +1 bonus. • Encounters: Creatures in the area are infected with filth fever, and injury from any creature results in the risk of infection. You must make a Fortitude save or become infected by filth fever. • Risks: A roll of 1 on a Survival check results in immediately becoming infected with Filth Fever. • Special: The GM may replace Filth fever with any affliction. Filth Fever, and other afflictions, are found in the Starfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. v4 Quarantine This area has had a major outbreak of some superbug strain of disease or virus which resulted in the area becoming quarantined. This area is very dangerous to the health of individuals traveling or living in the area. The primary risks of this zone are related to health. • Security: Yellow, Orange, and Red • Skills: Medicine checks in the area take a -2 penalty due to the extremely unsanitary conditions. • Goods: Characters traveling unprotected through this area must make periodic Medicine checks to avoid being sickened by the superbug (every minute if in a building; every hour if in a neighborhood; every day if in a city; every week if in a nation). If a character fails a medicine check, they must make a Fortitude save against the superbug or become infected. • Encounters: All unprotected NPC's and creatures in the area are assumed to be infected, and contact with the creature has a 50% chance of risk of infection per round of contact. Additionally, the starting attitude of all uninfected Law Enforcement or Security Forces in the area are Unfriendly and become Hostile if you do not obey commands. • Risks: A roll of 1 on a Medicine check results in immediately becoming infected with the Superbug. Even characters wearing protection of some sort can become infected if they make a mistake. • Special: The disease in the quarantine zone is usually a superbug, and has the statistics of the Bubonic Plague, Leprosy, or Shakes diseases, except the DC is scaled to be 13 + CR of the area. The GM can feel free to replace these diseases with any disease, and these diseases are described in the Starfinder Core Rulebook. SECURITY ZONES The universal Security Zone system was developed as an outgrowth of old government attempts to color-code terrorist threat activity and alert the general populace when a threat was considered likely. It originally used five color codes to provide a benchmark rating for the security level of a physical area. A fifth, unofficial color code was added by the shadow community for extremely lethal Zones. Over time, the system was adapted and extended to include other ‘spaces’ or nonphysical areas, so it’s not uncommon to see Global DataNet areas, or aircraft flight zones in and around storm fronts, rated with the same color code system. The color coding system, while universally used, is somewhat subjective, so it is possible for a Green Zone in City A to be considered a Blue or Yellow Zone in City B, or for police or security officers to be assigned specific duties that allow for different weapons. Most such allowances do not move more than two steps down the chart, however. See Crime Ratings below for more on police tactics and resources, but law enforcement is typically not available in Red Zones, and never in Black Zones, so those ratings refer to whatever power bloc is in control of the area. GREEN (LOW RISK) Extremely well-patrolled city cores, neighborhoods with private security, and other extremely safe areas. Insurance coverage rates reduced. Public health, utilities infrastructure and healthcare all top-flight. • Site Examples: Major theme parks, major sports arenas, the best banks, police headquarters, corporate headquarters, major airports, spaceports. • Police Threat Response: Detain for questioning. Conversational skills, non-lethal weapons and non-lethal force techniques are the first option; lethal force only in defense of public safety or officer life with mandatory review and suspension. • Police Resources: Civilian and corporate resources available. No weapons heavier than handguns and non-lethal weapons carried. Concealed armor worn. Submachineguns and shotguns available but carried in vehicle. Unarmed drones available. BLUE (GENERAL RISK) Patrolled city areas, middle-class to upper-middle-class neighborhoods; the largest range of most city areas. Insurance coverage rates standard. Public utilities infrastructure and healthcare all good. • Site Examples: Sporting arenas, corporate facilities, banks, hospitals, light industrial zones, some research laboratories, restaurants, lesser theme parks, and lesser airports. • Police Threat Response: Detain for questioning. Non-lethal weapons and force techniques are available; lethal force in defense of public safety or officer life with mandatory review and probable suspension. • Police Resources: Civilian or corporate grade resources available. No weapons heavier than submachine guns, handguns, and non-lethal weapons carried. Concealed armor worn, with ‘throw on’ armor upgrades stored in vehicle. Shotguns and assault rifles available but stored in vehicle. Unarmed drones available. YELLOW (SIGNIFICANT RISK) Poorly patrolled city areas, lower to lower-middle-class neighborhoods, usually the outer bands of major cities. Insurance coverage rates increased. Public utilities infrastructure and healthcare present but average at best of times. • Site Examples: Corporate motor pool facilities, junkyards, heavy industrial zones, waste treatment plants. • Police Threat Response: Attempt to detain for questioning. Officer’s judgment as to use of lethal force, review required, but frequently minimal. • Police Resources: Corporate grade resources available. No weapons heavier than light machine guns. Submachineguns, assault rifles, shotguns, handguns, and some non-lethal weapons carried. Obvious external armor worn. Heavier weapons to engage cyber-enhanced individuals available but stored in vehicle. Additional ‘throw on’ armor upgrades stored in vehicle. Possible vehicle and dronemounted weapons. ORANGE (HIGH RISK) Unpatrolled city areas, slum neighborhoods, secured-access facilities. Insurance coverage typically unavailable to residents due to high rates. Public utilities infrastructure and healthcare may be present but will be in poor repair/poor quality; frequently not working. • Site Examples: Areas of constant turf war between criminal groups, standard military bases, and high-end criminal estates. • Police Threat Response: Shoot first if threat seems imminent, capture for questioning if possible. No review unless a large amount of negative publicity is generated. • Police Resources: Military grade resources available to military facilities, corporate and some military to corporate facilities. No weapons heavier than heavy machineguns. Assault rifles, shotguns, handguns, hand-delivered explosives, and some anti-cybered individual weapons carried. Vehicle and drone-mounted weapons. RED (SEVERE RISK) Insurance coverage not available. Public utilities infrastructure not available. Public law enforcement not available. Public healthcare not available. Guys with guns in the streets. Warlords with personal domains. Cats and dogs living together in sin. You get the picture. • Site Examples: Secure corporate facilities, most military bases and facilities, terrorist enclaves. •Typical Power Bloc Threat Response: Assuming there are police stranded here for some reason, they shoot first and keep shooting as they make a run for the nearest way out and reinforcements. Other power blocs follow a similar ‘shoot first and often’ scheme. •Typical Power Bloc Resources: Some restrictions on use of resources may be present (tanks, even if present may not be authorized, for example). Corporate and military grade resources available. Most weapons and armor are available for carry. Heavy weapons available. Combat drones available. BLACK (EXTREME RISK) An unofficial designation maintained by some shadow groups for sites where simply being there without authorization is an assumption of guilt, and lethal force is the first stop on the threat response decision tree. • Site Examples: Military nuclear weapons bases, nuclear power plants, CDC facilities where live cultures are stored, the most secure corporate facilities, drug lord’s processing plants, terrorist training camps, etc. •Typical Power Bloc Threat Response: Immediate lethal force. •Typical Power Bloc Resources: Anything available to the controlling entity is possible, from tanks to missiles to golemmechs, all used/operated by the most skilled people available. Superior opposition across the board. Elite resources available.